JAY LENO AND JIMMY FALLON DELIVER BIGGER 18-49 AND OVERALL AUDIENCES THAN THE ABC AND CBS COMPETITION IN THEIR TIME PERIODS

SEASON TO DATE, JAY HAS INCREASED HIS YEAR-AGO MARGINS OVER 'Late Show' IN VIEWERS 18-34, 18-49 AND 25-54 AND JIMMY EXTENDS HIS LEAD OVER 'LATE Late Show' IN 18-49

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – December 20, 2012 – NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" have earned #1 results for the late-night week of December 10-14, with Jay delivering bigger 18-49 and total-viewer audiences than CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" and ABC's combination of "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in the hour and "Late Night" topping CBS's "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" in 18-49 viewers and total viewers.

Season to date for the 2012-13 season, "Tonight" has stretched its leads versus one year ago over CBS's "Late Show" in viewers 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. In viewers 18-49, "Tonight" has established a margin over "Late Show" of 11 percent (1.025 million vs. 926,000), eliminating last year's "Late Show" advantage of 2 percent. Jay has also generated a 25-54 advantage this season of 7 percent (1.305 million vs. 1.215 million) after trailing by 1 percent at this point last year, and has stretched his 18-34 lead to 15 percent (341,000 vs. 296,000), up from last year’s 13 percent.

Jimmy Fallon has established a 15 percent lead over "Late Late Show" this season in viewers 18-49 (657,000 vs. 570,000), up from 11 percent at this point last season.

"Tonight" delivered a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Show" for the seventh time in the last eight weeks, while Jimmy Fallon has attracted a bigger 18-49 audience than "Late Late Show" for 10 weeks in a row.

WEEKLY AVERAGES

(According to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research for the week of December 10-14. Ratings reflect “live plus same day” data from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise noted. Season-to-date figures are averages of “live plus seven day” data except for the two most recent weeks, which are “live plus same day.”)

Easy to forget, Brad, but the decision can’t wait for that because the vacancy exists the second Fallon leaves to prepare for 11:30. If anything, they may have to debut the new 12:30 show *before* Fallon starts at Tonight. The same way Fallon debuted at 12:30 months before Conan took over Tonight.

Unless NBC is willing to do what it has never done, at least not in 50 years, and leave the slot vacant for a long time with rotating, auditioning guest hosts. Not really their style.